1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for connecting electrical conductors. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for connecting electrical conductors such as flat-band lines, printed circuits, conducting foils or the like.
2. Description of the Related Technology
An exemplary prior art device for connecting flat-band lines is described in DE 198 32 011 A1. In this device, the flat-band line has a connecting area that is provided in a detachable connection. An insulating housing, which has spring means for applying the necessary contact forces, is associated with the connecting area. Means are associated with the individual strip conductors of the flat-band line in such a way that the flat-band lines with their contact areas (which are created by stripping insulation) come to lie directly on the associated counter-contact areas of the counterpart to be bonded under the spring action of the spring means. In this configuration, it is essential that at least one contact curvature be pushed out and raised directly from the flat-band line (with a plastically finish-formed contour present for each contact area), whereby after bonding, the back side of the raised contact curvatures that faces away from the counterpart is loaded directly by a spring means. That is, after bonding, the surface of the contact curvature rests, under spring action, on the connecting area of the counterpart. In the device, the counterpart itself is also a flat-band line.
A connection (bonding) of flat-band lines that is created in this way has proven its value per se. One drawback, however, is that the contact is immediately lost if spring action is no longer present. This is a common occurrence, for example as in the device disclosed in DE 198 32 011 A1, it will be appreciated that the spring means are designed as leaf springs which are known to break under harsh environmental conditions.
Another drawback in these types of devices is that the contact curvature comes to lie only tangentially to the connecting area that is involved. As a result, it is practically impossible to produce a high-load electrical connection through which high currents can flow because the contact surface is too small.
In addition, another drawback resides in the fact that before bonding, the contact curvatures must be introduced into the flat-band line by means of an additional operating step. As will be appreciated, a high precision in the positioning of the contact curvatures is necessary. Typically, the contact curvatures must be introduced at precisely the point in the flat-band line in which the spring means can later engage. As will be appreciated, if the spring means is not located exactly in the area in which a contact curvature in the flat-band line is present, inadequate forces or forces outside of the contact area will exist, and accordingly, reliable bonding is not possible.
One object of the present invention is to avoid the above-mentioned and other drawbacks. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting electrical conductors which can be produced simply and economically, while also resulting in a device which has reliable bonding.
These and other objects of the present invention may be realized by a device comprising a first electrical conductor having a contact area (which may comprise an area stripped of insulation), a second electrical conductor having a contact area adjacent to the first electrical conductor, and pressure media which exerts force on the contact area of the first electrical conductor sufficient to connect the electrical conductors.
According to one aspect of the invention, the pressure media exert their force on the contact areas of the electrical conductors in such a way that after the connection, the contact areas of the two electrical conductors are deformed.
In accordance with this aspect of the invention, one of the advantages of the present invention lies in the fact that an additional step for the production of contact curvatures can be avoided since the contact curvature is produced only owing to the exertion of pressure of the pressure media on the contact areas that are involved. Thus, any electrical conductors such as flat-band lines, printed circuits or flat-band foils can be used that must not be touched beforehand except for stripping insulation. That is, the contact areas that are involved are deformed in the area in which the pressure media are applied.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, buffers can be present that are elastic and introduce an additional contact force after the connection, especially over the service life of the connection.
The deformation of the electrical conductors that are involved in the contact area has, moreover, the advantage that the largest possible surface of the contact areas to be bonded comes to rest so that high contact reliability is provided. By the large-area bonding, it is possible at the same time to transmit high currents with comparatively thin or flat electrical lines. Since the pressure media do not necessarily have to be (but can be) absolutely loaded with spring force, the risk of a spring break, from which a contact interruption would result, is also avoided.
Another advantage of the present invention is based on the deformation, wherein according to this aspect, oxide layers break open and thus the bonding is further improved.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the pressure media and the contact areas are arranged in a housing, preferably a multipart housing. By the use of a housing, the pressure media, as well as the electrical lines that are involved, can be positionally fixed, whereby the contact areas are also protected from mechanical damage. In addition, the housing can be used to position the entire arrangement at a desired point.
In accordance with another object of the present invention, the contact areas can be closed tightly by using a seal. As a result, ambient or environmental influences (such as, for example, moisture, pollution by electrically conducting particles, etc.) cannot act on the contact areas, so that corrosion, short circuits, etc., can be avoided.
The housing preferably comprises two halves, whereby the inside of the housing is tightly sealed by a seal that is lodged between two housing halves. This seal can be inserted between the housing halves or pre-mounted (for example molded-on) on the outside contours of one housing half. This seal mainly has the purpose of preventing the occurrence of a short circuit between contact areas. As will be appreciated, it is ensured by the seal that each contact area, several contact areas, or all contact areas are protected from outside influences (such as moisture, electrically conducting particles, or the like), so that no short circuits are produced.
The seal can comprise all contact areas, can be arranged around a contact area, or be arranged between two strip conductors.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, at least a portion of the pressure medium is electrically conductive. As will be appreciated, this has the advantage that the pressure media can assume two different functions. On the one hand, connecting and bonding of the electrical conductors, are produced by deformation, and on the other hand the pressure media can be used for further bonding since they are found in a contact area of electrical conductors. Thus, for example, the pressure media can be designed as a contact sleeve or contact pin. Additional electrical conductors, connectors, electrical components (such as, for example, bridges) or electronic components or even electronic modules can be connected to this sleeve or to the pin.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, several pressure media that are arranged beside one another are not only designed for bonding deformation, but also are designed as multipolar connectors or as multipolar sleeves, by which a signal or voltage transmission can be carried out.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the pressure media are loaded with spring force. This has the additional advantage that the large-surface contact areas that lie on top of one another, are deformed and thus adapted or loaded by an additional force after bonding so that the bonding is more reliable. The force can be produced by any suitable means, for example by use of a spring or alternatively by use of an elastic intermediate layer.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the electrical conductors lie plane-parallel over one another on a base disposed at least in the contact area, whereby the deformation takes place in the contact area and the support area of the base. As a result, the electrical conductors are placed over one another plane-parallel in a simple way. Then the pressure media are mounted so that the contact areas of at least two electrical conductors are deformed by the mounting of the pressure media. This deformation can be carried out in such a way that the base may or may not be deformed. If the base is not deformed, it must have a material property that withstands the exertion of force of the pressure media. In such a case, it is preferable that the pressure media are also at least partially deformed in the exertion of force. Alternatively, the base can consist of a material that is also deformed with the exertion of force and deformation of the contact areas. If the material of the base does not consist of a deformable material, it is also conceivable to introduce a deformable seating between the base and at least one electrical conductor, whereby said seating is deformed with the exertion of force by the pressure media. Owing to its elasticity, this seating or other suitable medium then preserves the connection over the service life of the device.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the electrical conductors lie plane-parallel over one another between at least two pressure media disposed in at least the contact area, whereby the deformation is carried out in the contact areas. In each case, two pressure media are prefereably disposed opposite one another in the contact area, so that the intervening electrical conductors can be deformed. Here, of course, attention must be paid that the exertion of force of the opposite pressure media is not so high that the latter would penetrate the contact areas of the electrical conductors that are involved so that a bonding would be prevented.